Jennifer Wright endorses Wes Gullett

“Wes Gullett has been steadfast in his commitment to reform city government.”

PHOENIX – Last night at her first appearance at a legislative district meeting since the August 30th municipal election, Jennifer Wright announced her endorsement of former opponent Wes Gullet as her choice for Mayor of Phoenix.

“To bring about positive changes, we need a leader committed to making significant reforms to city governance – and that leader is Wes Gullett,” declared Wright, adding “At each of the debates throughout the campaign, Wes Gullett has been steadfast in his commitment to reform city government.”

“I’m thrilled to have Jennifer Wright’s support,” Gullett said. “Jennifer mobilized the grassroots with her principled voice for fiscal sanity and reforming city government. I welcome her to our growing and winning coalition.”

Referring to Gullett’s just released ten-point Commitment to Reform City Government as the cornerstone of her endorsement of his candidacy, Wright stated, “Mr. Gullett made a firm commitment with Phoenicians today that he will, among other things, champion the repeal of the food tax, reform employee compensation packages, and develop a small-business friendly procurement code.”

Wright encouraged the crowd of active precinct committeemen to put their time, energy, and effort in supporting Gullett in his campaign by knocking on doors, making phone calls, and donating to his campaign to help get out the vote in November.

“In order for Mr. Gullett to be successful, we have to get out the vote to make sure he is elected. We simply cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and hope for the best – each and every one of us has to work together to make it happen,” proclaimed Wright.

Wright is a former candidate for Mayor of Phoenix who entered the race late with little name recognition, but finished in a virtual tie for third place, along with two well-known Phoenix council members. Her insurgent campaign fueled by hundreds of committed volunteers shocked political insiders. Wright, a relative newcomer to politics, is currently an attorney with Bain and Lauritano, PLC, practicing family and criminal law.

Comments

I supported Jennifer, and while I’m disappointed in her choice to endorse Gullett. I will give her a pass on this one.. She seems new to running for office.

It doesn’t matter who Wes trots out as a “conservative” endorser. He is an agent of McCain and conservatives won’t be fooled. Conservatives support conservatives, not liberals. With time Jennifer will learn a lesson on this one.

Jay, I direct you to William Buckley’s rule: “Always support the most conservative candidate WHO IS ELECTABLE”.

This is a closed election. There are only two candidates. Wes Gullett, for all his flaws, is more conservative than Stanton. Therefore, he must be supported. I really don’t want to see Phoenix turn into San Francisco, which is openly hostile to all conservatives.

Steve, there is a difference between “the most Conservative” and “the least Liberal”. Gullett isn’t the most Conservative. He isn’t Conservative at all. He’s the least Liberal in the race, MAYBE! I’m not voting for that. As long as the Republican establishment keeps offering up “the least Liberal” candidate, I’ll stay home on election day.

I might add that people like Karl Rove keep saying that candidates “too far to the right” can’t get elected. Really? John McCain didn’t do so well against Obama. So it looks like anti-Conservative Republicans can’t get elected either!

We’re running out of time. I guarantee you that the leftists aren’t staying home. Refusing to vote in an election because there is not a candidate “conservative enough” means that the next conservative will just have a tougher time of it, because the baseline of the debate will just move to the left. If you let a leftist take over a position and stack their support staff with their friends, you allow them to set the agenda and the tone for the next 4 years.

If Stanton gets in, by the time of the next election, he will have effectively moved the focus to the left. Right now, for example, the debate is should we repeal the food tax? It is entirely possible that 4 years of Stanton will see that debate turn into “how much should the food tax be raised”, so that down the road any candidate who wants to repeal the food tax is portrayed as a “radical”. That’s sad and depressing, but that’s the fact of political life. In politics, you make do with what you have, and strive for the best outcome you can get. Staying home and not voting just gives the other side the chance to seize control of the table for years to come, and makes it that much harder for someone of your point of view to try to take that position back.

I think there’s two different sets of assumptions at play. You assume there is a difference between Gullett and Stanton. While myself, and many of the readers on this site reject that assumption. They are largely the same, they are both liberal. Wes will talk a great talk during the election about how he’ll repeal the food tax and enforce immigration laws, but his record demonstrates that he is unlikely to back up those promises.

This is just a stark contrast to last year’s elections where I felt Republicans became united behind great candidates. I hope this isn’t a step backward to the old days of “anyone with an ‘R’ next to their name”

You are not defining the battle correctly. The battle isn’t between Democrats and Republicans at this point in time. The battle is between “moderate” Republicans and Conservative Republicans. Let me give you another example of this.

A few years back, establishment Republicans wanted to run Dede Scozzafava in NY 23. Conservatives said no way because Scozzafava supports government funding for abortion and homosexual marriage. Over the objections of Conservatives, the Republican establishment ran Scozzafava anyway. So, Conservatives ran their own candidate. In the end, Scozzafava dropped out of the race and threw her support to the Democrat rather than support a Conservative. The Democrat won. I might add that John Boehner supported Scozzafava and was even one of a handful of House Republicans to make a personal contribution to her campaign!

If establishment Republicans don’t want Liberal Democrats to win, they need to run a Conservative candidate instead of offering us a choice between bad and worse. As long as we accept the “moderate” Republicans the establishment keeps offering up. that is all we are going to be offered. Establishment Republicans need to understand that as long as they continue to offer up candidates like Gullett, Democrats are going to get elected. When etablishment Republicans see their ranks shrinking with each election, they’ll run Conservatives.

It’s a closed runoff election. No one else can run. The conservative candidate in this race appeared to be Jennifer Wright, and she lost. If you have to tell yourself to get behind the candidate who will do the “least damage”, then you may want to do that. I’ve written a quick article about the forces behind Stanton here: http://tinyurl.com/3mvlz2q

Thank you but no, Steve. I do not want to get behind the candidate who will do the least damage. That was not why we were given the right to vote and I’m not going to use my vote in that way. Either there is a candidate who deserves my vote or I stay home.

Have you driven around east and central Phoenix lately and seen what a third-world style dump it is turning into? That is the result of city government who is sanctuary in All But Name. Under Stanton, no doubt more of the same. Gullett? Something in my gullet tells me ditto.

Uh, I live a few streets away from 16th St. and Thomas. It definately needs work, but it’s far from a third-world style dump. In fact, the biggest problems are business owners who don’t maintain their businesses properly (Like the Walgreen’s on the corner with its endlessly filthy parking lot or the Fountain Springs Apartment complex, Home of the Monthly Murder – the last two, incidentally committed by American citizens).

Hopefully, Stanton will fully fund code-enforcement bureaucracies and we get some these businesses to clean up their acts.

Well, I’m not suggesting that we’re gonna have the Tenderloin district, cool streetcars on hilly roads, and the USS Pampanito tied up at a dock in downtown Phoenix – but I do see how we could wind up with a city council, and thus town policies, that are as out-of-step politically with the rest of Arizona as San Francisco is with the rest of California – there are many Californians who feel that SF is too leftist for the Californian “mainstream”, which is saying something. Also, the SF government has a tremendous amount of boards and commissions which are basically “leftist training centers”, where left-wingers learn how to function in a bureaucratic/government environment, and then move on to other, higher positions throughout the state. There’s a reason this is the city that has given us Diane Feinstein and Nancy Pelosi – powerhouse liberals who are free to do whatever they want, for they could never be removed from office because their support from the electorate is so strong.

1. “That are as out-of-step politically with the rest of Arizona as San Francisco is with the rest of California…”

Why should Phoenix give a good goddamn what the rest of Arizona thinks politically? By all means, let’s run the largest city by what Heber and Safford think we should do. Sorry, that argument doesn’t jibe at all. The 1.5 million people living in this city don’t need to be told what to do by people living outside of the city.

Here’s my advice to the rest of the state: Don’t like the way Phoenix is run? They move out of the safe suburbs and move to the city. Otherwise, keep your damn mouths shut.

2. “for they could never be removed from office because their support from the electorate is so strong.”

And it’s the same reason the right gets to inflict people like Paul Ryan and Eric Cantor on us. What’s your point? This is the Jack “Idiot” Harper argument: I’d don’t like what the Democrats are doing, so Democrats shouldn’t be allowed to elect their leaders.

3. If the city does elect Stanton for Mayor, and we have a city council (assuming Thelda Williams wins her seat) that is center-left, doesn’t that mean that people like DiCiccio and Waring are actually out of step with what the Phoenix electorate thinks?

Is Wes Gullett an honest man?
How many of you insiders think thats the case? Cause in my book the first qualification as a conservative should be Honesty. How much integrity has he shown in the way he has run all the dirty campaigns through the years. I think Wes taught Chuck how to get down and dirty.

Gulletts wife was the Chief of Staff to Phil Gordon, do we want more of that? You want an extension of the Gordon administration for 4 more years?
He is also buddies with some of the biggest union thugs that have ever grifted off the City. Gullett will have an open door for Billy Shields and all the big union leaders. Maybe he can continue Gordons practice of telling businesses to contract with his significant other, like Gordon directed Veolia to pay his girlfriend and shields for lobbying the City.
Glen Beck spells it out very clearly, the people that portray themselves as conservatives but live in a complete other way will lead us into ruin. Watch what the other hand is doing.

Bob, you are funny as you are not in the know. Tie Billy Shields to Greg Stanton … except, now that his daughter plead guilty to taking Stanton’s campaign money, no one wants to be in the same room with Shields. Plus, if you had real insider knowledge in this town, you’d know Shields has been told by his own firefighters not to darken their door anymore – there is a huge rift between them and not likely to heal anytime soon. There is no “unity” in union, so you’re down for two. Shields is partners with John Kaites. Go figure.

Now, the rest of your stuff. So stay home and don’t vote. Give up that American freedom. Pick one of them. Gullett is the best bet. If you are hot on your unions controlling city hall, then go with Gullett. He has no union endorsements and Stanton has all of them.

Bob, be a leader, be a man, vote. Get off this RINO/conservative than thou crap – and that goes for everyone. Be Reaganesque – no family fights under the tent.

Or, give it to Stanton and you’ll have a smooth talking attorney entrenching himself in city hall not for four, but most likely eight years. And you will have absolutely no chance of voting out the food sales tax because Gullett would be the fifth vote. Actually, the sixth, because I believe Mike Johnson would cave on it.

I’ll bet on the devil I know rather than the Dem on the other side. Com’on Bob, be a Republican.

Policy Pundit, if you had a cogent thought it would die of loneliness.

If we followed the advice of people like you, we would still be under British rule. You’re a compromiser. You want to setttle for what is offered to you, even if it is rancid table scraps. Man up! Stand for something, like those who fought in the Revolutionary War did. Grow a spine!

I thought chairman Morrissey was suppose to unite the party. Who cares if one is a RINO or a CINO (Conservative In Name Only)? We need Wes Gullett to be the next mayor of Phoenix.

And for the record. McCain did not lose his race for the WH because he was not “conservative enough.” Donald Duck could have run on the Democratic ticked and won after the out-of-control spending of the Bush years.

Mike, you have stated that you support homosexual “marriage”. You’ll forgive me if I have doubts about how Conservative you are. Pushing homosexual “marriage” is the leftist, Liberal, “progressive” Democrat agenda, not the Conservative agenda.

If you support Gullett, you can count on the fact that I will stay home on election day.

Well, Paula, we’ll never know, will we. Sorry, I don’t buy your leftist propaganda that no Republican could have won. Many Republicans could have won had they represented a real choice instead of offering “Obama Lite”.

Conservative American can sit on his hands with his thumb up his butt. See what it gets you!

I’m very familiar with the NY 23 special election. Dede Scozzafava would be in Congress today had the Conservative Republicans gotten behind her. But instead tthey lined up behind a Conservative Party candidate who had no chance of winning the race

I can’t put my thumb up my butt because there’s no room with your fat head already up there.

Mike wrote: “I’m very familiar with the NY 23 special election. Dede Scozzafava would be in Congress today had the Conservative Republicans gotten behind her.” Spoken like the supporter of homosexual “marriage” that you are.

Right, she might be in office, continuing to support government funded abortion and homosexual “marriage”. You are trying to sell the idea that because someone has an “R” after their name that we should automatically support them. No. We’ll support them only if they have an “R” after their name and stand for Conservative principles and values.

And here’s some more wisdom from that bastion of Conservatism, Nordine Crub:

” Nordine Crub says:
September 11, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Wananumba are you Home schooling your kids?I’m sure our patriotic American conservative is home schooling his/her children. God forbid they be exposed to any children of Homosexual parents. What if their children asked a question about Heather’s Two Moms…or why does Juan speak Spanish at Home…or listen to NPR in his/her carpool. You wouldn’t want them hearing an opinion from anyone but Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. What if their teacher made s hat out of a newspaper…don’t you know that ALL hats are made out of tin foil.”

You’re so far to the left, Nordine, that you make Obama look like an ultra right wing Conservative, LOL!

You are a real peach! Read the book the Thirteen Keys to the Presidency. You will see that I am right. No “leftist propaganda” in that prediction — I promise. Let’s have coffee some day so you can see that my conservative credentials are rock solid.

You’re a piece of fruit yourself! No, I don’t think that I will see that you are right no matter what book I read. I don’t see where having coffee with you would make me think that you are in any way Conservative. I can make that determination based upon what you have put in writing.

Who is it who would tell us that no Republican could have won against Obama? Would a Conservative tell us that? Would a Conservative tell us that no Conservative Republican could have won against a Marxist? You’re a smooth operator alright, much better than most, but your wolf’s tail is sticking out from beneath your sheep disguise.

Paula – fat chance our Conservative poster would pry his fat little fingers away from his computer for long enough for a cup coffee. Bug count me in for a cup. Tuesday or Friday work for me next week. Nordine.

Yeah, you and Paula should get along quite well considering that this is your Idea of being “Conservative”:

“Nordine Crub says:
September 11, 2011 at 9:31 pm
Wananumba are you Home schooling your kids?I’m sure our patriotic American conservative is home schooling his/her children. God forbid they be exposed to any children of Homosexual parents. What if their children asked a question about Heather’s Two Moms…or why does Juan speak Spanish at Home…or listen to NPR in his/her carpool. You wouldn’t want them hearing an opinion from anyone but Glenn Beck or Rush Limbaugh. What if their teacher made s hat out of a newspaper…don’t you know that ALL hats are made out of tin foil.”

You’re worried about a child being asked about her two “Moms”? You think there is such a thing as homosexual “parents”? You’re so far to the left that you make Nancy Pelosi look like an ultra-Conservative, LOL!

Bottom line: We’re going to have a Mayor, and he will be Mayor Gullett or Mayor Stanton. “None of the above” is not an option. Write-ins are not an option. It’s going to be Gullett or Stanton. This is not a difficult choice. Gullett will shrink government, reduce taxes, streamline business processes, and implement reforms. Stanton will continue the out-of-control growth of government that we’ve seen since he was on the Council voting for every tax and fee that came down the pipeline.

Gullett may not be perfect (though I don’t think he’s half bad, I just thought Wright was better). But he’s *worlds* better than Stanton. Let’s not be foolish by letting Stanton run the city into the ground for four years and build himself a little dynasty a la Harry Mitchell, just because we didn’t get our first pick in the last election.

If you disagree, “Conservative American,” then go ahead and sit out to soothe your “conscience.” The rest of us will carry your water again.

For Conservative Republicans, this race is not about Stanton versus Gullett. For Conservative Republicans this race is about drawing a line in the sand with the GOP establishment; run genuninely Conservative candidates or lose. Only when the GOP establishment understands that every time they try to foist a “least worst” candidate on us that we are going to reject him or her will they have a compelling reason to run genuine Conservative candidates.

Gullett is going to lose big time and it won’t be because Stanton is so popular. It will be because the GOP establishment couldn’t get out the Republican vote for a candidate as bad as Gullett.

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